Marking band for poultry



May l, 1934- M. BAYERDORFFER 1,956,974

MARKING BAND FOR POULTRY Filed sept. 1, 195s Patented May 1, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention has reference to the marking bands used on various articles especially the leg bands applied to the leg of a fowl, or poultry, and which carry numbers or any other suitable character or designations.

The main object of the invention is to provide a band that can be applied around the leg of the animal, and one end simply inserted into a kind of socket or loop portion at the other end of the band, and such mere insertion will result in the automatic locking of these two ends of the band together, that will ei'ectually prevent the removal of the band by release of these engaging ends.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein disengagement of the parts by insertion of a sharp instrument is prevented.

In the accompanying drawing showing certain embodiments of my invention;-

Figure 1 shows the band in place on the leg of a fowl.

Fig. 2 shows the band closed, on an enlarged scale.

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3 is a face view of the band.

4 shows the band from another side. 5 is an end view from the apertured end. 6 is an end view from the loop end.

7 shows the loop, separately.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 10 shows a band loop with three tongues.

As shown in the drawing, I provide a band 12, of suitable material such as aluminum, or plastic material like Celluloid, that is preferably flat, and which will carry numbers or any suitable or desired designation. At one end of the band is arranged a loop, that may be of separate material, and also :dat and of resilient metal such as steel or brass that is resilient. This loop may be formed of a strip bent over to form a flat loop 13, with meeting edges 14, 15; and formed with holes as 16, 17. The end 18 of the band 12 is inserted into the loop, about half way, and a punch or other implement will force the metal of the band into these holes and secure the loop to the band end. This will leave an open loop portion at the end of the band at 19.

At the open portion of the loop 19 I arrange a plurality of spring tongues, that are integral with the loop, and each formed by two parallel slits connected at one end by a cross slit, and these tongues are pressed into the loop, and are resillent so that they may spring outward on insertion of a member, and spring back when released.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 9, the band is provided at the loop with four of these tongues, in two similar pairs; one of these pairs, as the two outer tongues 20 and 21, are joined to the body of the loop at the outer portion of the loop and project inwardly in a longitudinal direction towards the attached part of the loop, see Fig. 7. The otherv pair of tongues, 22 and 23, are joined withk the loop body at an inner portion and extend outwardly in a longitudinal direction, as shown. At

the other end of the band 12, is formed a set of holes or openings, one to cooperate with each of said tongues, as seen from Fig. 3; 24, 25, 26 and 27.

When the ban-d is passed around the leg of the animal, as indicated in Fig. 1, the apertured end 28 is inserted into the open loop 19, and these holes are so arranged and disposed as to register with the four tongues respectively. The edge of the band will slide along the two outer tongues 2O and 21 and move them outward until these tongues will enter the two outer holes 24 and 27, when the tongues will spring down into these holes, and thus secure the band end against withdrawal from the loop, and the band will be locked on the leg of the animal. The other two tongues 8 22 and 23 are not so deeply bent into the loop, and the edge of the band is preferably slightly beveled so that the band edge can pass the ends of these two tongues, and then these two tongues will spring down into the two holes 26 and 27. 8 This will prevent further advance of the band into the loop. But the great advantage of these two reversely extending tongues is that they will act as a safety device, and will effectually prevent the insertion of any sharp implement, such as a knife 9 blade, into the loop, which might engage the outer two tongues 20 and 21, and raise them to release the band end and permit its removal from the loop. The knife blade ii inserted would rst strike these inner tongues 22 and 23, that would 9 stop it from going in far enough to engage the two outer tongues 20 and 21.

In Fig. 10 I show a similar arrangement, of a band 30 with a loop 31, that is provided with tongues 32 and 33, similar to the tongues 20 and 100 21, that engage holes 34 and 35, in the end 36 of the band. But here only one reversely extending tongue 37 is shown, that will enter a hole 38 in the band end, and which latter tongue will prevent the insertion of a sharp implement to engage 105 and loosen the holding tongues 32 and 33.

By having at least one pair of tongues spaced laterally of the loop and at least one pair of the holes similarly spaced the hole provided end of the strap is held against twisting or cooking laterally l in the loop even if the latter is, on account of constructional errors, wider than necessary.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very simple device, composed of two parts only, the band and the loop, with the simple spring tongues and holes formed and arranged as set forth; and even the band and the loop might be integral. The mere act of pushing the free end of the band into the loop will result in the two ends of the band being securely locked together, and no tool or implement is needed or used. Either face or side of the band can be placed on the outside, but it is better to have the tongue side of the loop on the inside of the locked band to guard against tampering with the seal or lock.

It will be apparent that a device of this character will have a large Variety or scope of uses, besides marking bands for poultry. Such markers are placed on the wings or legs of birds, such as pigeons; also on the tails of animals, as horses or mules. The article can also be used as a seal for any desired purpose, such as a car seal, or a marker on dresses, furs or other apparel.

What I claim is:-

1. A leg band including a flat strap of bendable metal, a flat loop or sleeve fitted on one end of the strap and rmly secured thereto, said sleeve projecting beyond the ban-d end to which it is tted, a pair of tongues struck inwardly of the projecting portion of said sleeve and projecting towards the band end to which the sleeve is secured, said tongues being spaced transversely of the band, the remaining end of the band being adapted to enter the projecting portion of said sleeve and being provided with holes spaced correspondingly to said tongues and engageable by the tongues upon the hole provided end of the band being inserted in the sleeve, and at least one other tongue struck inwardly of the sleeve and pointing in the direction opposite the first tongues, the hole provided end of the band having a hole therein engaging the last mentioned tongue upon insertion of the band.

2. A leg band including a flat strap of bendable metal, a flat loop or sleeve tted on one end of the strap and rmly secured thereto, said sleeve projecting beyond the band end to which it is tted, a pair of tongues struck inwardly of the projecting portion of said sleeve and projecting towards the band end to which the sleeve is secured, said tongues being spaced transversely of the band, the remaining end of the band being adapted to enter the projecting portion of said sleeve and being provided with holes spaced correspondingly to said tongues and engageable by the tongues upon the hole provided end of the band being inserted in the sleeve, a second pair of laterally spaced tongues struck inwardly of the sleeve an-d pointing in the direction opposite the rst tongues, said second pair of tongues being spaced nearer the open end of the sleeve than the rst pair, the remaining end of the band having a second pair of holes corresponding in spacing to the second pair of tongues.

MAX BAYERDORFFER. 

